Signal attachment for magazine-guns



(No Model.)

J. W JAMES. I SIGNAL-ATTACHMENT FOR MAGAZINE GUNS. No. 600,787.

Patented Mar. 15, 1898.

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UNITED STATES PATE T .rrrcn.

JACK WM. JAMES, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

SIGNAL ATTACHMENT FOR MAGAZINE-GUNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,787, dated March 15, 1898. Application filed October 16. 1897. Serial No. 665,430. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JACK WM. JAMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Magazine-Firearms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to magazine-firearms,

particularly repeating shotguns or rifles,

wherein a magazine-tube extends parallel with the barrel and is designed to contain a number of cartridges, which are constantly pressed rearward to place the leading cartridge into the carrier, so that after the gun has been fired a fresh cartridge is introduced in the barrel, as is well known, and of which the Winchester repeating shotgun is an example.

The object of my present invention is to provide a firearm or gun of the character referred to with an audible signal, which is sounded when the magazine is empty or when the last cartridge is moved therefrom into the carrier, thus calling to the attention of the gunner 0r sportsman the fact that the magazine should be recharged with a supply of cartridges.

To accomplish this object, my invention consists, essentially, in the combination, with the magazine of a repeating firearm, of an audible signal and means for automatically sounding the audible signal when the last cartridge in the magazine is moved therefrom.

The invention also consists in the features of construction and in the combination or arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a Winchester repeating shotgun provided with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of a portion of the gun. Fig. 3 is a broken side elevation of a portion of the gun, showing a modified audible signal. Fig. 4 is a detail transverse sectional View taken on the line 4 at, Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevation of the head of the magazine-spring.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe the same in detail,reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein-- The numeral 1 indicates the barrel, 2 the magazine-tube, and3 the frame, of a repeating magazine-firearm, such as a Winchester repeating shotgun. Inasmuch as the firing mechanism and the devices by which the cartridges are successively placed in the barrel are well known and may be of any construction suitable for the purpose, I do not consider it necessary to illustrate or describe the same in detail. The magazine-tube extends parallel with the barrel and is of such construction that it will hold the required number of cartridges. Ordinarily there will be five cartridges in the magazine and one in the barrel, thus making a six-shooter; but the number of cartridges maybe increased or diminished, according to the capacity of the magazine.

The magazine contains a spring 5, having an attached head 6, the construction being such that the cartridges are constantlypressed rearward to place at least one in the frame, from which it is transferred to the barrel, as usual. In Fig. 2 the front portion of the last cartridge in the magazine is indicated by dotted lines, as at 7.

WVhen the magazine is empty, or rather when the last cartridge has or is being forced into the frame, it is desirable to notify the gunner or sportsman, so that the magazine may be recharged. To accomplish this, 1 provide an audible signal, which may be of any suitable construction or form, but which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is composed of a sonorous metallic finger 8, extending downward from an arm 9, attached to the frame in any suitable manner. The lower end of the sonorous finger extends through a longitudinal slot 10 in the magazine-tube and lies in the path of a dog 12, carried by the head 6 of the spring 5 in such manner that as the last cartridge, as at 7, is being forced into the frame of the gun the dog 12 will press the sonorous finger 8 rearward and snap past the same, and the latter will then spring forward and give forth a sound somewhat similar to a tuningfork, which is sufficient to call to the attention of the gunner or sportsman the fact that the magazine is' empty and should be recharged with a supply of cartridges. The dog 12 is pressed upward by a spring 13 and is constructed with a beveled face 14, Fig. 5, so that when the head 6 of the spring 5 is moved ICO or pressed forward, as in charging, the dog will yield and pass by the extremity of the sonorous finger 8 without necessarily soundin g the same. The dog is preferably arranged to move longitudinally in a channel or groove 15, provided in the magazine-tube, so that while the dog will operate the sonorous finger S the latter will not lie in the path of the rims of the cartridges, thus preventing the cartridges from sounding the audible signal. The spring-dog 12 may be constructed and arranged upon the head of the spring in any manner suitable for the purpose, and therefore I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to the particular arrangement of the spring-dog illustrated in the drawings. Nor do I wish to be understood as confining myself to any particular construction of audible signal, as it may be composed of the sonorous metallic finger 8 orit may be com posed of a hammer or striker 16, Fig. 3, attached to an elastic finger 17, secured to the frame substantially in the same manner as the sonorous finger 8, Figs. 1 and 2. The hammer or striker 16 is designed to strike a bell or gong 18, mounted on the exterior of the magazine-tube. It will be obvious that when the dog 12 reaches the finger 17 the latter will be pressed rearward, and the dog will then snap past the same, whereupon the finger will spring forward and cause the hammer 16 to sound the hell or gong to call attention to the fact that the magazine is empty.

The audible signal serves to attract attention and differs substantially from an ordinary visual signal, such as a graduated band or stem for indicating when the magazinetube is empty.

My audible signal is simple in construction, easily operated, and can be very economically applied.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination with the magazine of a repeating firearm, of an audible signal, and means for automatically soundingthe signal when the magazine is empty, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the magazine of a repeating firearm, of an audible signal, and a spring arranged in the magazine and having a head provided with means for sounding the signal when the last cartridge in the magazine is removed therefrom by the spring and its head, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the magazine of a repeating firearm, of an audible signal, a spring arranged in the magazine and having a head, and a spring-dog carried by the head of the spring for operating the audible signal when the magazine is empty, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a firearm having a magazine-tube provided with a slot, of an elastic finger extending through the slot, and a spring arranged in the magazine and havin g a head provided with means for actuating the elastic fin ger, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACK WM. JAMES.

WVitnesses:

G. A. SWEDHoLM, J. M. GREGORY. 

